Your kitchen garden can come alive if you plan your vegetables well and understand what conditions they require to thrive. Varying weather conditions, depending on where you are located, can have a bearing on your sowing and harvesting schedule. Getting to know the right months to sow and harvest is therefore vital.

Sowing Tips
A good practice to get your vegetables off to a good start is to start your seeds indoors and transplant them after they germinate. Use little cardboard cups to get started and use a seed starting mix. Fertilisers should be avoided for at least two weeks after transplanting. Depending on your kitchen design, you can even move your vegetables into little window boxes where they will be safe from rodents and pests.

Harvesting Your Vegetables
Knowing your vegetables well is essential if you are to harvest them at the right time. While the harvesting season spans a few months, avoid harvesting your vegetables too early to too late during the season. After harvesting, allow a bit of time to go by before re-planting in the same soil. This allows the soil to settle and replenish itself.

Quick Gardening Tips1. Follow crop rotation to keep your garden thriving – it is advisable that you do not have the same crop growing in the same spot for more than two years at a stretch. Rotate the location of your plants and switch seeds for great results.

2. Check the soil acidity (pH levels) before you transplant your germinating seeds. An imbalance in soil acidity can cause your plants to wither up and die.

3. For healthy vegetables, choose organic fertilisers and home-made compost. Apart from helping your plants thrive, organic gardening is the way to go for better health for your family.